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The Aftermath

Crime Files

The Aftermath

In April 2013, as Mick Philpott began his life sentence in Wakefield prison, a national debate erupted over the state of welfare dependency in Britain. Even the Chancellor George Osborne joined in by questioning whether the welfare state should subsidise such people.In May, Mairead’s own father said her appeal against her sentence was a waste of taxpayer’s money adding;“She should have got as long as Mick did for what she did.”In June it was revealed that Mick Philpott was being interviewed by police in his high-security prison. Witnesses, who had been interviewed during the investigation into his arson, had broken down and revealed their rapes by Philpott. One dated back to 1996. The demolition of the burnt out house at 18 Victory Road also began that month.In July, fourteen months after their deaths, the six children finally had gravestones put on their graves. The local community had raised the £15,000 necessary for their funeral and memorial.“And the saddest thing is that I doubt anybody will remember the names of those six children: Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse, and Jayden. But I guarantee every one of us will remember Mick Philpott. And that's a tragedy.” Emma Kenny, PsychologistFor Kim Hill, Philpott’s first victim, the damage he inflicted never seems to end. She was forced to have a hysterectomy because of a prolapsed womb caused by Philpott’s stabbings.And then Kim’s mother Shirley was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the liver. The family remain convinced that the cancer resulted from the scarring inflicted by Philpott when he stabbed her eleven times. They believe that she is the last victim of Mick Philpott.